Özet:

The Armenian issue was one of the many issues which plagued theOttoman Empire in its later days, corresponding to the last quarter of the 19thcentury. By the year 1878, all major Christian peoples of the Ottoman Empirein the Balkans had created their independent or autonomous states. Duringthis process, no attention was paid to the fact that the Muslim and/or Turkishpopulation of the Balkans were a very numerous element, that they had livedthere for centuries, that in many areas they constituted majority. All three majornational movements – the Serbian, Greek and Bulgarian movements – weredetermined that the Muslim/Turkish population should leave, that if need be,that they should be exterminated. It was against this background that theArmenian issue was raised. Speculation is incompatible with serioushistoriography. However, one cannot resist the temptation of asking whether ornot Muslim- Armenian peaceful coexistence might not have been possible, ifWorld War I had not intervened. Today, we are entering a new phase in theArmenian issue. The attention that the Diaspora Armenians and Armenianpropaganda has been able to get from the European Parliament, the USCongress and similar bodies, may be seen as a success for them. However, itis far from certain that they will be able to get exactly what they want. As morebalanced views of the Armenian issue become prevalent in Westernscholarship, these will gradually filter down to the media and thus in turninfluence public opinion. Armenians of the Diaspora (and those who had livedin the Soviet Union), seeing that their exaggerated views are no longeraccepted, that they are being subjected to critical examination, will have to letgo of their passionate positions. Perhaps then, a symbolic reconciliation anda scholarly dialogue will be possible

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